It’s been a very busy last couple of months for music festivals in Australia and now chasing on the heels of Soundwave, Future Music Festival is making its way around the country. Kicking off in Brisbane last weekend, the festival brought out not only some pretty big name acts but unfortunately also almost every imbecile from across the state.
As it is every year, the weather is miserable. However the pouring rain, flooding fields, and cold winds don’t stop the punters one bit.
Being the festival that it is, with all its dance/electronic/hip hop music, Future unfortunately tends to draw the kind of demographic who enter a festival with their singlets strapped to their belts and no intention of wearing of them.
The kind of idiots who decide it’s funny to backchat police, start fights, walk around the festival thinking they’re top shit and just generally ruining the day for the other attendees.
Then there are the women. Girls who are just off their face supporting the muscled up moron of a boyfriend who is throwing his weight around, but enough about the crowd.
Pulling one of their biggest lineups yet, Future really kicks off with Fun. Having last visited Australia not all that long ago for last year’s Splendour In The Grass, the band hit the Future stage just after 3pm to a rather small turnout.
Opening straight up with the recent hit single “Some Nights”, the band immediately get the small gathering that is there to sing along with every word. The band’s set features a whole host of musicians on a variety of different instruments, finishing with their big number, “We Are Young” to the delight of the punters.
The rain does not relent and there is a mass exodus to the main stage where soon, one of the most hyped acts and talked about artists over the past six months will be performing. Yes that’s right, it’s Psy.
As the crowd gathers in the mud, Psy struts on to the stage and thanks everyone for having him. In a nice change from a lot of the other bands on the bill, the Korean superstar is very humble and polite, as he informs the festival that he would like to perform some songs other than ‘Gangnam Style’, to which no one seems to mind.
Getting through the first three songs is a lot of fun as everyone seems to get into his music and bounce around, however after the third track, Psy explains to the crowd that he was contracted by the festival to play five songs, four unknowns and then the big finish.
“It seems to me that you all really want to hear ‘Gangnam Style’, so here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to perform it twice,” he reveals.
With that the music starts up and every person nearby goes wild. The English translation of the lyrics is displayed on the big screens, but nobody is singing along.
As the night rolls on the mud gets thicker and punters get more and more intoxicated leading to a few fights and scuffles with security breaking out here and there.
All is forgotten however when local band the Temper Trap come on to the stage to play. Opening straight up with a favourite, in “Fader” and a big ‘fuck you’ to the rain leads the band into a set filled with hits such as “Trembling Hands”, complete with sing-alongs and dancing in the rain with impressive lighting and impressive musicianship.
Announcing to the drenched audience that this is in fact their first show of 2013, the band finishes their set on a big closer in “Sweet Disposition.”
Following up the Melbourne group is the recently reformed UK rock outfit, the Stone Roses. The lights go out and foam starts blowing from canons over parts of the crowd, bringing the band on stage.
They might be oldies now but the quartet have still got it, with their agelessly cool sound of bluesy guitars, great drums, and deep bass. A lot of people have dissipated after the previous band but that doesn’t stop these guys from putting on an impressive set for their fans, which includes an extended version of “Fools Gold.”
Guitar solos aplenty in very psychedelic sound dominate almost 10 minutes of jamming from the Roses, who make Future that much more special.
As the end of the night looms ever nearer, people are now faced with a tough decision, where to go. For this reviewer it’s a pretty easy choice: and it’s off to the Prodigy.
With an audiencechanting their name in a tent that is just full to the edges of eager fans, it doesn’t take too long before the English electronic group hit the stage in a big way.
The curtains open, the lights go out and the roar that echoes throughout the tent is absolutely massive. “Voodoo People” opens the set, accompanied by one hell of a light show that creates a massive party atmosphere for everyone.
Smoke is billowing over the mass of bouncing audience members as the sound being put out from the band just blows almost everyone away.
Songs like “Jetfighter” sends the fans into a frenzy from front to back, whilst “Breathe” and “Omen” really sends things off.
Everything about this set is huge, from the lights that go all the way along the roof of the tent to the massive sound that leaves you with no escape. The band’s presence as well is just in your face and the people love it.
It’s a great end to a festival that has certainly had its many highlights. However there is still just the one little issue of the people at the festival causing problems and really making it quite unbearable at times to enjoy the music.
